Of more immediate moment is Bruckheimer's Lone Ranger, opening on the Fourth of July holiday weekend. "(On) July 3, I'm going to be scared to death," the producer confided, though his quiet confidence -- "I always bet on myself and my ability to succeed" -- suggests that he knows how to manage fear quite well.

And how about a Lone Ranger sequel? "If the audience likes the movie," said Bruckheimer, "hopefully The Lone Ranger will continue as a sequel."

The production hired four to six horses to play Silver, the Lone Ranger's steed. It built two trains and five miles of track -- constructed in a loop to avoid the need to stop filming.

The movie stars Johnny Depp as Tonto -- he created the character's dramatic look -- and Armie Hammer as the Lone Ranger, and is directed by Gore Verbinski.